Top Five Books on Spirituality That I Read Last Year and Why I Loved Them!
In 2020, I decided to keep a record of all the books that I read. Mostly because I was curious about the total (49), but also, because it was helpful to look back at the types of books I was spending my time on. That year, there was a little thing called the pandemic that upset a lot of our regular schedules, but one way it was helpful for me was in establishing new healthy practices and rhythms. I started to read a lot more. Albeit was mostly fiction that year. In 2021, I started a masters degree, which has provided me with a lot more opportunity to read books that I’ve never known about, and in some instances, wouldn’t necessarily have chosen to read. I always have a huge stack of books in my living room, and on my nightstand that I intend to get to… but the piles seem to grow more than diminish! For interest’s sake, I read 42 books in 2021. For 2022, I have set a goal of reading 50 books, which includes audiobooks, required texts, books of interest, and books just for fun. Here is a list of a few books from this past year that have really stuck with me.
Invitation to a Journey: A Road Map for Spiritual Formation by M. Robert Mulholland Jr.
A common metaphor to describe the ups and downs, the comings and goings, the joys and sorrows of life, is that of a journey. There is a definitive beginning and end, but where life will take you along the way is yet to be discovered. Invitation to a Journey is an exploration of the journey of pursuing holistic spirituality. Mulholland defines spiritual formation as “the process of being formed in the image of Christ for the sake of others.” The individual’s personality and piety are the vehicle, and the journey, or pilgrimage, is traversed through the spiritual disciplines. This journey is not taken alone, as there are fellow travellers on the way, who are both companions and recipients benefiting from the growth and development of the inner life of the pilgrim. This book was a helpful exploration of the purpose and a pathway of spiritual formation, with an excellent section on spiritual typology which many may find applicable.
Women in the Mission of the Church: Their Opportunities and Obstacles throughout Christian History by Leanne M. Dzubinski and Anneke H. Stasson
This is a fresh look at the history of mission in the development of the church and Christianity by examining the people behind the people we recognize as having shaped theology, church leadership, and the expansion of the church. Mothers, sisters, daughters, who influenced and taught theologians, preachers, creed developers, missionaries, and reformation leaders. The authors bring to the forefront historical accounts of the contributions of women to the mission of the church, and in particular their tenacity and innovation in living Kingdom lives, and sharing the Gospel with others when limited by the gender expectations and responsibilities of the times they lived in. The authors endeavoured to restore a balance to how we perceive the value of someone’s contribution to the mission of the church, as not being simply one of public ministry, but the importance of the ministry that happens in the private sphere of the home, and in the behind-the-scenes supportive roles as well.
Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living by Shauna Niequist
I borrowed this as an audible book with my public library app. I hadn’t read any of Niequist’s writing before, but quickly came to appreciate her humour, vulnerability, and practical examples of practicing the discipline of being present. Something as simple as starting the day by going outside to breathe fresh air, rather than getting caught up in the flurry of morning family preparedness in order to send everyone out the front door. I listened to this book as I walked my dog in the spring, and it was one of those perfectly timed reads about something that I needed to hear right then. It is easy for people to spend large amounts of time and energy reflecting on the past, or dreaming and hustling towards the future, but that has to cost us something, somewhere… and that price is usually paid in the present. In fact, it is in the present, that we are meant to be most present, to be the most self-aware, to be the most engaged with the people right in front of us. I appreciated Niequist’s reminder to be present in the present, and to encounter God’s presence by being present.
A Church Called Tov: Forming a Goodness Culture that Resists Abuses of Power and Promotes Healing by Laura Barringer and Scot McKnight
There have been a lot of headlines made in the past several years on the abuses suffered within the parameters of the church. This book wrestles with hard stories and unflattering abuses that result from the dichotomy between what a church culture says and what they actually do. Yet the authors also look at the ways in which communities can create a culture that theologically supports the equality of all people, made in the image of God, with each person uniquely gifted for ministry through the Holy Spirit. The culture of goodness that God models for humankind, and calls us to display to others is possible through the grace of Jesus. A challenging, but important book to read.
Faithful Presence: Seven Disciplines that Shape the Church for Mission by David Fitch
How does the church be the church, on mission, within a cultural context that seems less interested in what it’s doing and saying, except perhaps, when it is misbehaving? This book offers a fresh look at the practices of the church through the lens of faithfully being present with Jesus, with one another, and hosting Christ’s presence as we engage with the community and world around us. In light of the effect that the pandemic has had on the North American church, this book was helpful in reminding me of the values and priorities of the church, and hopeful in clarifying the purpose of mission for the church today.
